


What the Butler Saw

by leafingbookstea



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: 2016 ficathon reposting, F/M, Fluff, Mr B gets a fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-14 18:19:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13013472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafingbookstea/pseuds/leafingbookstea
Summary: From the 2016 Ficathon - The original prompt: someone comes asking for help, Mr. Butler on the case with Cec and Bert





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I do not recall who the prompter was, so if you are reading this, please identify yourself so I can gift it to you!

          Tobias Butler had been in service his entire adult life. Some postings in his early days had been particularly hard, the gentry he worked for positively feudal in their treatment of him. That was before Aurelia, his beloved late wife, and before the War. After the War, things were better, the posts more relaxed. But even with those improvements, he was never considered a part of a family until the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher.

 

            He never presumed on Miss Fisher’s affection, she was still his employer after all, but her loving nature made those around her want to do more for her. Mr. Butler wanted her to be happy, as she had made others happy, and he could see that the one person who added a great deal to her happiness was Detective Inspector Jack Robinson.

 

            Tobias was not at all surprised to see the thick envelope on the seat of the Hispano Suiza when he had returned to the car after driving Miss Fisher and the Baron to the airfield. She hadn’t given many instructions that morning, saying only “Keep the house open, Mr. B, unless you hear otherwise from me. And if you need to take in a stray or two in my absence, I’ll leave that to your discretion.” He tucked the envelope into his jacket pocket to read when he returned to Wardlow. As he drove away from the airfield, he was sure he saw the Inspector’s police car driving the opposite direction. He smiled to himself and whistled a favorite tune of Mrs. Butler’s all the way back to St. Kilda.

 

            Returning to the house, he made himself a cup of tea and sat down at the kitchen table to read Miss Fisher’s letter.

 

            _Dear Mr. Butler,_

_As I am quite sure you will keep things running smoothly in my absence, I will give you no instructions here about how to do that. I have left money enough to cover the household accounts for 6 months as well as some additional funds to be distributed in the following manner:_

  * _You, Dot, Bert and Cec are to continue to receive your regular wages while I am gone. Dot will certainly need a little help for the first few months of married life, though she may try to insist that she doesn’t. You know better than to believe her, Mr. B._
  * _See that Dr. MacMillan gets any champagne or whiskey that may arrive, save one or two cases for the house. My departure was a bit hasty so there may be some parcels arriving. Tell Cec and Bert not to order anything else for now._
  * _If the Inspector comes to the house, feed him. I certainly don’t want him to starve after my departure. You can invite him to stay, though I doubt he will take you up on the offer. If he speaks to you of any plan he has to follow me to England, offer to make his travel arrangements for him. Take whatever money he gives you and set it aside for when he returns. Do not use it to pay for his ticket and do not let the Inspector know I have helped. There is a separate envelope in the safe with money tied to it. Give the envelope to the Inspector and use the money to buy him a first-class steamer ticket to England. _
  * _The combination to the safe is Dot’s birthday._



_I am as confident you will carry out my wishes to the letter as I am in my ability to fly safely to England. In the event the worst should happen, or you do not hear from me before the six months are up, contact my solicitor, Mr. Banning, for further instructions._

_Thank you, Mr. B, for you unswerving and tireless service. Hiring you was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I can’t imagine my little family at Wardlow without you in it._

_Sincerely and with great affection,_

_Miss Fisher_


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first posted this fic, the original character had a different name. Then, my 10 year old son pointed out the obvious choice for the name. After I had posted the fic! I now get a chance for a "do-over". Thanks, Kid!

Tobias had a particular gift that was extremely helpful to him in his career in service. His late mother called it The Knowing. It was how he knew things were needed before he was asked. Food prepared, the right cocktail for the right occasion, sometimes answering the door before the bell rang. He suspected that Miss Fisher had a little of The Knowing herself, it was probably helpful in her detective work. What she written about the Inspector had come to pass. He came to the kitchen door on the afternoon of Miss Fisher’s departure and Mr. Butler was able to make the arrangements for him. That was a month ago. Mr. B had received a telegram from Miss Fisher after three weeks saying that she had arrived in safely in England.

 

            Tobias spent his days enjoying the quiet life in Miss Fisher’s absence. He harvested the fruits and vegetables from the garden, listened to the wireless while enjoying a glass or two of port in the evenings, taking morning walks along the St. Kilda foreshore. Occasionally, Bert and Cec would come by to deliver parcels, have rousing arguments about footy matches or horse races, never leaving until they had been fed.

 

            On Sundays, Dorothy and Hugh came for dinner after church. Her face glowed with happiness and love. Hugh’s eyes followed his wife everywhere she went, a blush appearing on his face whenever she caught him watching her.

 

            Every night, before turning in, Tobias picked up the framed photograph on his nightstand and kissed the picture of Mrs. Butler in her simple bridal gown. Their wedding day was the happiest day of his life at that point. Even after twenty years, he remembered her pale blue dress. The light in her eyes shone up at him with such joy, if he could have given her the world at that moment he would have.

 

            “Goodnight Aurelia,” he would say to the photograph, “I miss your violet eyes, my darling.”

 

            One morning, as Tobias was getting ready for his walk along the foreshore, he heard a knock on the front door. Standing on the other side was a dark-haired girl, wringing her gloved hands and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

 

            “Good Morning, may I help you?” he said, opening the door. He noted the streaks of dirt on her otherwise clean dress and the bits of sand clinging to the top of her shoes.

 

            “Sir,” she said, glancing to her right and then back at him, “does Jane still live here? I know she did once.”

 

            “Miss Jane is away at school,” He smiled kindly, “you seem familiar. Are you a friend of hers?”

 

            “My name is Ruth. Jane and I lived in that awful boarding house until Miss Fisher took her in and that Inspector found my grandmother.” Her words came out in a rush. “Is Miss Fisher here? I need her help.”

 

            “I remember you, Miss Ruth. Miss Fisher is out of the country. May I be of some assistance?”

 

            “It’s my grandmother, sir. Someone tried to snatch her bag on the foreshore. She was hurt. I managed to walk with her here, but I think she has twisted her ankle.”

 

            “Where is she now?” he asked, looking down the steps and beyond the gate.

 

            “Here,” came a voice to his left. Tobias stepped out the door to see a petite woman sitting on one of the front porch chairs. Her stockings were torn, especially near her right ankle, and sand coated various parts of her dress. The brim of the sun hat she wore obscured her face from his view.

 

            Tobias knelt down in front of the woman to get a closer look at her ankle. There was quite a bit of bruising, but she didn’t appear to be bleeding, so it was likely not broken.

 

            “Oi, Mr. B?” Bert called from inside the house, “We got another delivery for …” He peaked his head through the still open front door, Cec following a moment later.

 

            “Albert, Cecil, you arrived just in time.” Tobias said, still crouched in front of the woman. “We need to take this woman to hospital.”

 

            “I’ll be fine,” the woman protested, “I only need to rest for few minutes …”

 

            “You need to see a doctor, Mrs. …”

 

            “Cook. Amelia Cook.” Her voice had gained some strength, “What is your name? I like to thank you for helping me.”

 

            “Tobias Butler, Mrs. Cook” he said, standing and taking her hand to shake it. “Miss Fisher, the lady to whom this house belongs, is my employer.”

 

            Mrs. Cook returned his greeting and raised her head to look up at him. She looked to be about his age, perhaps a few years younger. The lines around her eyes and mouth suggested that she smiled more often than she frowned. He looked into her eyes and saw something he hadn’t seen in years. They were the same violet color as Aurelia’s.


	3. Chapter Three

Cec placed Mrs. Cook gently into the back of the cab and Ruth climbed in next to her. Bert drove while Mr. Butler sat next to him. Cec stayed behind to let Dot know where Mr. B had gone (she was expected later that day so they could do some baking together). Tobias looked back often during the journey to make sure the woman was as comfortable as possible.

 

            He didn’t say much to her. Ruth and Bert had met before and did most of the talking. Tobias couldn’t stop his gaze from returning to Amelia’s eyes and their unusual color. He knew the hue was rare, he told himself that is why he couldn’t look away. But if he was honest, there was something else. A spark of something, almost like recognition, every time his eyes drifted up to her face.

 

            They arrived at the hospital before Tobias could let his thoughts go deeper. She was taken back to an examining area and Ruth had gone with her. There was nothing for him to do but wait. He paced the outside corridor a bit and pondered how his day had gone so very differently from the one he expected to have when he awoke this morning. He was so lost in his thoughts; he didn’t notice the red-haired woman in the white lab coat approaching from the opposite direction.

 

            “Mr. Butler?” Dr. MacMillan waved a hand in front of his face when he didn’t immediately look at her.

 

            He shook his head to clear it. “I beg your pardon, Dr. MacMillan. How nice to see you.” Giving her a warm smile. On the inside, he chided himself for being so preoccupied that he was not paying attention to his surroundings; it was not his normal behavior.

 

            “You were a million miles away,” she gave a small smile, and then looked serious, “Why are you here? Has something happened with Dot?”

 

            “No, Doctor.” He reassured her, “Albert and I brought in a woman who got hurt on the Foreshore near Miss Fisher’s house. She fell and injured her ankle.”

 

            “Hmm,” The doctor gazed at him for a moment, “You look rather worried. I’m sure she will be fine.”

 

            “Thank you, Doctor. I’m sure she will too.”

 

            Tobias turned around at sudden noise behind him. Bert and Ruth were holding the double doors open while a nurse backed out of the corridor with Mrs. Cook in a wheel chair.

 

            “Thank you, Sister,” he said to the nurse as he trotted up to meet them, “I’ll take it from here.” He carefully wheeled the chair around and started down the corridor with Mrs. Cook in front, Bert and Ruth bringing up the rear.

 

            They returned to Wardlow and sat in the kitchen. Tobias brought Mrs. Cook a footstool to elevate her ankle.

 

            “Now then, Mrs. Cook” said Tobias, pouring tea for Ruth, then her grandmother “can you tell me anything about the person who tried to rob you?”

 

            “Well, he was a boy, for one thing. Not much younger than Ruth here, I expect, and thin as a rail. I don’t think he meant to knock me down, just take my bag. He looked hungry, poor mite.” She took a biscuit from the tray Tobias offered her, “He was too fast for me to get a good look at him. Did you see him, Ruth?”

 

            “No, Granny” Ruth said, taking another biscuit, “I was watching the kite flyers and when I turned around you had fallen. Mr. Butler,” she looked up at him “may I please take my tea out to the garden?”

 

            “Of course you may, Miss Ruth.” He nodded with a smile. Having set everything out, he poured himself a cup and sat down opposite Mrs. Cook. They were quiet for a few minutes and Tobias realized he was staring.

 

            “I … I beg your pardon,” he stammered with a sigh, “Forgive my staring, you remind me of someone.”

 

            “You remind me of someone too.” She said, looking up at him, “My late husband, Timothy. He had a kind face, like yours.” She quickly looked down and Tobias thought he saw a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

 

            “And you remind me of my late wife, Mrs. Cook” he replied, “Her eyes were that same color.”

 

            “Please, call me Amelia.” She put a hand on the table, arm stretched slightly toward him. “After all you have done for me today, I would like to repay you in some way.”

 

            “And you must call me Tobias.” He replied, patting her hand gently. “ No repayment is necessary, Amelia. Especially not from someone I hope I will see again?”

 

            The small smile she gave got bigger. “I would like that very much, Tobias.”

 

            Tobias raised his teacup, “To new friends.”

 

            Amelia touched his cup with hers. “To new friends.”

           

 

* * *

 

 

            Amelia Cook had always been a quick healer. After only two weeks, she was able to resume her usual routine of walking on the foreshore. The only difference was her new walking companion, the butler of a lady detective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: I don’t know if the original prompter was expecting a Mr. Butler case fic or not. I started out writing one, but dear Mr. B said he was lonely and wanted a little romance instead. So I gave him one.


End file.
